Author's Preface
Merkra: Atania and Fletcher are really starting to look like a thing, aren’t they? Had you asked me three weeks ago, I one hundred percent would have thought he’d end up barreling right through Leonie’s boundries and they’d end up together.
Solana: I understand the instinct to lump them together into a relationship, but perhaps we should wait to find out how this story ends before speculating? We are talking about two people on very different sides of what history tells us is about to be a real war.
Merkra: I know you don’t read the listener comments until we get through telling the story, but do you honestly think I started the shipping speculations?
Solana: I do not, however I know you to be a devourer of drama as long as it doesn’t involve you. If you told me you weren’t somehow instigating it, I would call you a liar.
Merkra: Well…you would be correct.
Solana: Mhmm. This week we are closing out with Penelope again. The speculation here is that she is going to try and suck Father’s soul into the orb, correct?
Merkra: Sure, but does she think it’s actually going to work? I mean, a dragon is one thing. Super powerful, obviously, but still technically a mortal being, right? Why does she think she’ll be able to use it on Big Daddy D?
Solana: I think attempting to attribute any logic behind Penelope’s thought process is a moot point.
Penelope’s curled lips twitched at the corners.
Gregor cringed slightly in front of her, expecting a punishment for this particular bad news despite being only the messenger.
“What exactly happened to him?”
“I c-can’t say with any c-confidence. Gerard is working on him, but he says that Virinax was p-probably p-poisoned.”
“Poison.” Penelope repeated. She paced in a tight circle, tapping her chin with one hand and rubbing the orb around her neck with the other. “This is not ideal. We were ready for the next step. Now I don’t have a mage for the ritual. I don’t suppose you’ve figured out who poisoned him?”
Gregor shook his head. “The only evidence a-at this point is there is n-none. I-if I didn’t know any better, I would suspect myself.”
Penelope froze, head cocking slightly as she turned to stare up at the tall saurien. “But you wouldn’t do that to me, would you, Gregor?”
Gregor gulped audibly and shook his head. “Of course n-not, M-mistress.”
“I know.” She gave him an approving nod and patted his hand. “Go and see what else you can find. I need to have a private discussion with someone.”
“Yes, M-mistress.” Gregor bowed his head and faded into nothing as he backed away.
Penelope trotted down the empty halls, humming softly as she climbed the stairs and stopped outside Atania’s door. She didn’t need any evidence to know this was her doing, getting permission to punish her for it would be a stretch, but she was going to kill the bitch soon anyway. Now it was time to watch her squirm a little.
Penelope rapped on the door and waited patiently before it opened. “We need to have a chat.”
Atania rolled her eyes, but left the door open as she walked back into the room and dropped onto the bed as if she weren’t worth the effort of standing. Penelope strode into the room, looked around, and scoffed.
“They haven’t come to clear out Benicio’s things yet? I’ll send someone up immediately.”
“And I’ll send them away. Again. What do you want, Penelope?” Atania sounded almost like she was not welcome in the room. That simply would not do.
“Well, first, the respect that I demand from my subordinates would be great.” She paused, waiting for some snarky comeback, but when it didn’t come, continued. “Second. I’d like you to tell me what you poisoned Virinax with so I can have him cured.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.” Atania chuckled but didn’t look up from the blood red dagger she was polishing in her lap.
“I am your commanding officer. Father and the King have both given me authority over you.” Penelope could feel her blood begin to heat up. This was not going to plan. “What did you poison him with?”
“King Vilrut put you in charge. Father doesn’t give a shit about the chain of command.” Atania corrected her.
“Regardless, I am in charge.” Penelope tilted her head. “Now tell me, so I can get back to my business.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Penelope. Maybe he had some bad seafood.” Atania rubbed her stomach.
Penelope grabbed the marble-sized orb that hung from her neck and popped it out of the amulet. It expanded in her hand to the size of her palm, and she held it out in Atania’s direction.
“You remember this? This little toy you delivered to me will allow me to suck the soul right out of your useless lump of flesh.” Penelope growled out. Atania’s expression remained unreadable, but there was no way that hadn’t struck a chord.
“If he was poisoned.” Atania glanced up from the blade, looking over the orb then up at her. “I’m sure he’ll be fine in a few days.”
“So it was a stalling tactic. Why?” Penelope snapped. “You’re planning to kidnap Yasha and take her to Father?”
“You just threatened to suck my soul out.” Atania flipped the blade into the air, catching the point on the tip of her finger and balancing it in the air. “If that were what I was planning, I doubt I’d come out and say it. Even if I didn’t believe your little trinket was capable of that. Why risk it?”
Penelope could feel the blood rushing through her fingertips as she squeezed the orb. If she didn’t need Atania for the last point in her plan, it would be so simple. Just will the orb to take her soul. She’d be left an even more useless husk splayed on the floor. Eye twitching, she pushed the orb back into its brace on the amulet and tilted her head.
“Let me know before you go tell Father, you’ve failed. I do so want to watch.” Penelope spun on her heel a full circle and a half before heading out the way she’d come.
“Be seeing you.” Atania called as Penelope slammed the door behind her.
Paused outside the door, Penelope looked down at the dormant orb resting on the pale, freckled skin of her chest. Her reflection stared back, all teeth and eyes, but something darker too. A dull orange pulse, faint as a heartbeat. Hunger.
Merkra: That is that folks. Thank you for joining us for another episode of Hidden Narratives. Apologies for my absence there toward the end, I was a little overwhelmed, but I’m sure my perfect wife filled in just fine, even if she’s not as funny as me.
Solana: Always with the flattery. No wonder I fell for you. Next week we will have another guest interview that will be able to give us some insight into the finer details of the druidic rituals of the era that Professor Grimjaw referenced.
Merkra: Until then, my beautiful people; be curious, be safe, and keep digging.
A distant horn and bright morning light shone through the questionably repaired apartment window, reflecting off the orb at her throat. For an instant, she thought she heard it breathe.
Penelope sat up and pushed thick curls back from her face. While she normally preferred male companionship, there was something to watching Skaeva’s hips sashay away from her. She reached up and adjusted the amulet around her neck, making sure the swirling orange and white orb was secure—it always was—before standing and pulling on her trousers.
“Trix, could you bring me my phone?” Skaeva called out from the restroom.
“Shit,” Penelope pulled her phone from her pocket and glanced at the screen. It didn’t matter what it said. She pulled on her shirt and grabbed Skaeva’s phone from the nightstand..
“I’ve gotta run.” She jogged to the bathroom door and set it on the corner of the sink. “I’m going to be late for work.”
“Isn’t it a little early? Cafe doesn’t open for a few hours.” Skaeva leaned down to kiss her.
“Inventory,” Penelope said between movements of lip and tongue. Her fingers sunk into the hair at the base of Skaeva’s skull. She pulled her in tight and kissed her hard, though her mind wondered. Just how easy it would be to twitch her wrist and snap the Null’s neck?
“Alright.” Skaeva pressed her forehead against Penelope’s. “Text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.”
“Of course, babe.” She lifted up on her toes and pecked her lips one last time before hurrying through the little apartment. Slumming around with Merkra’s little sister had its perks, but this shithole was not one of them. It would have been ideal to seduce him directly, but a way in was a way in.
Forcing her hair back into a dangerously tight ponytail, stray curls flying off in various directions, she descending the stairs of the old apartment building and took to the streets of old Baisee. Old was an odd way to refer to it. The city had changed numerous times through the centuries, this was just the most recent ‘old’ version.
Penelope had learned to hide herself long ago, even learning to mask the powerful signature of the orb. So, when she was being followed, no matter how proficient the tail was, she always knew. Her unwelcome guest was a wrinkle she hadn’t foreseen. Her next task would have to be delayed until she could figure out what to do about the ratkin following her.
She slipped between two apartment buildings as casually as she could before breaking into a dead sprint once she knew she’d broken line of sight. It would take him at least ten seconds to catch up. She jumped from the paved ground to a dumpster then to a fire escape above. Deep brown smoke shot from her fingertips and encased her. The swirling barrier closed above her head, then transitioned to a perfect mirror finish of the space around her. Now effectively invisible, she waited.
The ratkin turned the corner into the alley…then stopped. He sniffed at the air, absurd mustache twitching at the end of his snout. Perhaps he wasn’t as dumb as she’d assumed. He pulled out his phone, checked something, looked around again, and then left.
She made sure he didn’t return before letting out her held breath. The smoke dissolved, and the orb flared red.
“Oh hush. You’ve got no power here anymore.” She whispered through her grin.